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C M B
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jonnybravo
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 Posted: Wed Feb 24, 2021 1:34 am Post subject: |
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I'm really shocked they hung on as long as they did. Even 10 years ago, you could see the writing on the wall. They simply could not pivot to an online model. Hell even Best Buy is managing to thrive.
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C M B
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Joined: 15 Nov 2006
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Location: Prarie & Manchester, high above the western sideline
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| Posted: Wed Feb 24, 2021 2:47 am Post subject: |
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| jonnybravo wrote: | | I'm really shocked they hung on as long as they did. Even 10 years ago, you could see the writing on the wall. They simply could not pivot to an online model. Hell even Best Buy is managing to thrive. |
It was 10 years ago (BF3 build) when I noticed the stink of degradation in that place, which is what led me to microcenter. Their idea of salesmanship was pathetic.
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| Sister Golden Hair wrote: | LAMAR ODOM is an anagram for ... DOOM ALARM
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trmiv
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Joined: 19 Nov 2001
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Location: Orlando
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| Posted: Wed Feb 24, 2021 5:01 am Post subject: |
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| Man I loved Fry’s back in the day! I remember their smaller location in Fremont before they started doing the crazy looking stores. I worked near that Mayan temple one in San Jose in the article picture and I spent a lot of lunch hours there. I’ve been gone from California for 13 years though so I haven’t seen their demise. They were still pretty big when I left. |
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FernieBee
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Joined: 17 Nov 2003
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| Posted: Wed Feb 24, 2021 6:29 am Post subject: |
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Back in the late-90's, Incredible Universe left the building that Fry's ended up occupying, here in San Diego...near the Old Jack Murphy Stadium.
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lalakers91
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| Posted: Wed Feb 24, 2021 6:40 am Post subject: |
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| Fry's Electronics was great back in the day |
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Bol
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Joined: 24 Jun 2005
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| Posted: Wed Feb 24, 2021 8:53 am Post subject: |
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| Aww, I loved going to Fry's. Probably my favorite store ever to just hang out and wander around in. |
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lakersken80
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| Posted: Wed Feb 24, 2021 9:13 am Post subject: |
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Unfortunately, the demise was self inflicted.
They never leveraged their purchase of Outpost.com to sell online. Their website was a throwback to the 90's. Their inventory system was based on the same old software as well. Also they were late paying their suppliers so eventually they cut them off....they had to go to consignment because nobody was shipping product to them anymore. Without new product coming into stores the shelves eventually emptied, the customers stopped coming in and the employees were let go or turn into part time workers. Eventually there was a bare bones crew running the store, and parts of it was curtained off and electricity was shut off from parts of the store. It was only a matter of time that they were gone. I'm guessing the family who owns the chain saw the writing on the wall in selling B&M electronics and go out while they could, the process was drawn out probably to sell the real estate.
Last edited by lakersken80 on Wed Feb 24, 2021 9:14 am; edited 1 time in total |
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nickuku
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Joined: 09 Jul 2010
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| Posted: Wed Feb 24, 2021 9:14 am Post subject: |
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How can you go to a consignment model when you don't pay your vendors?
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lakersken80
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| Posted: Wed Feb 24, 2021 9:17 am Post subject: |
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| nickuku wrote: | | How can you go to a consignment model when you don't pay your vendors? |
It wasn't by choice. Their vendors stopped shipping them product because they were late on bills or didn't pay. So any vendor that sent them product when they switched over to consignment took the risk that they would lose the product if the store was going to turn their lights off one day. |
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lakersken80
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| Posted: Wed Feb 24, 2021 9:24 am Post subject: |
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| jonnybravo wrote: | | I'm really shocked they hung on as long as they did. Even 10 years ago, you could see the writing on the wall. They simply could not pivot to an online model. Hell even Best Buy is managing to thrive. |
I think it was around 2013 when the started turning things around at Best Buy.They did remodel of the stores, updated their stores to leverage internet sales, and started carrying more variety of products. |
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trmiv
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Joined: 19 Nov 2001
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Location: Orlando
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| Posted: Wed Feb 24, 2021 11:25 am Post subject: |
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| lakersken80 wrote: | | jonnybravo wrote: | | I'm really shocked they hung on as long as they did. Even 10 years ago, you could see the writing on the wall. They simply could not pivot to an online model. Hell even Best Buy is managing to thrive. |
I think it was around 2013 when the started turning things around at Best Buy.They did remodel of the stores, updated their stores to leverage internet sales, and started carrying more variety of products. |
They also did the price match guarantee and made it super easy to price match. Most of the time now the prices automatically match Amazon without even asking, but even if you need to match it’s easy. I’m impatient so most of the time if I want a new gadget I’ll just get it from Best Buy vs waiting for shipping. Before that I would showroom stuff at Best Buy before just ordering it cheaper at Amazon. |
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jodeke
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Location: In a world where admitting to not knowing something is considered a great way to learn.
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| Posted: Wed Feb 24, 2021 12:58 pm Post subject: |
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What happens to people who had Fry's build their computers? It's my understanding when anything went wrong with the machine they could take it to Fry's to be fixed.
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lakersken80
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| Posted: Wed Feb 24, 2021 1:11 pm Post subject: |
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| jodeke wrote: | | What happens to people who had Fry's build their computers? It's my understanding when anything went wrong with the machine they could take it to Fry's to be fixed. |
Find a friend who knows how to fix computers? |
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XTC
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Joined: 22 Jun 2002
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| Posted: Wed Feb 24, 2021 1:33 pm Post subject: |
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| lakersken80 wrote: | | I think it was around 2013 when the started turning things around at Best Buy.They did remodel of the stores, updated their stores to leverage internet sales, and started carrying more variety of products. |
Even Best Buy’s pricing seemed to become more competitive through the years and of course with Amazon/Newegg out there, Fry’s became an afterthought. Back in the day, Fry’s would be the only place to get the best deals and those Friday ads on the back of the Sports section were not to be missed.
Glad I never purchased an “extended warranty” from the salespeople, this is the only support buyers will get now (404):
https://www.frys.com/template/help/index/FE30/Service3/Assistance/Left_Topics/A11WarrantiesRebates |
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jonnybravo
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| Posted: Wed Feb 24, 2021 1:44 pm Post subject: |
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| Bol wrote: | | Aww, I loved going to Fry's. Probably my favorite store ever to just hang out and wander around in. |
It was a candy store for nerds. I'd go shopping for some part and end up in there for ages just poking at stuff lol.
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XTC
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| Posted: Wed Feb 24, 2021 1:53 pm Post subject: |
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| jodeke wrote: | | What happens to people who had Fry's build their computers? It's my understanding when anything went wrong with the machine they could take it to Fry's to be fixed. |
There are still some local computer repair shops out there, then there’s also Geek Squad (part of Best Buy). |
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jodeke
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| Posted: Wed Feb 24, 2021 2:31 pm Post subject: |
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| XTC wrote: | | jodeke wrote: | | What happens to people who had Fry's build their computers? It's my understanding when anything went wrong with the machine they could take it to Fry's to be fixed. |
There are still some local computer repair shops out there, then there’s also Geek Squad (part of Best Buy). |
Geek squad is a rip off. I bought a LG from Best Buy. I didn't know it wasn't compatible with Alexa. I went back and forth with them for 4 days trying to pair the TV with Alexa.
At one point it was thought the TV may be flawed. They had Geek Squad call me for an appointment. To join it cost $200. I didn't get the full explanation. I think it's $200 a year. If they come out and find it's not the TV you're charged for the visit. If it's the TV Best Buy will replace it.
After a while, one of the Amazon Echo agents and I determined the LG model I have isn't compatible with Alexa. I bought a new TV that's compatible. I'll mount it on the wall sometime today. I love Alexa. I play music from the 50's just by asking it, answer my phone. I'm new to Alexa there are so many other things I can do. I'm gonna have fun playing with it.
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Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind.
America will never be destroyed from the outside. If we falter and lose our freedoms, it will be because we destroyed ourselves. |
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FernieBee
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| Posted: Wed Feb 24, 2021 2:51 pm Post subject: |
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Can you get Alexa to speak to you in a sultry manner?
I'm asking for a friend.
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jodeke
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Location: In a world where admitting to not knowing something is considered a great way to learn.
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| Posted: Wed Feb 24, 2021 3:16 pm Post subject: |
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| FernieBee wrote: | Can you get Alexa to speak to you in a sultry manner?
I'm asking for a friend.
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Alexa can't help your friend. Tell him/her to get a blowup. 
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Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind.
America will never be destroyed from the outside. If we falter and lose our freedoms, it will be because we destroyed ourselves. |
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nickuku
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| Posted: Wed Feb 24, 2021 3:29 pm Post subject: |
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Geek squad or anyone else getting paid peanuts for tech support is either A)unqualified or B)looking to rip you off.
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jonnybravo
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| Posted: Wed Feb 24, 2021 3:52 pm Post subject: |
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| trmiv wrote: | | lakersken80 wrote: | | jonnybravo wrote: | | I'm really shocked they hung on as long as they did. Even 10 years ago, you could see the writing on the wall. They simply could not pivot to an online model. Hell even Best Buy is managing to thrive. |
I think it was around 2013 when the started turning things around at Best Buy.They did remodel of the stores, updated their stores to leverage internet sales, and started carrying more variety of products. |
They also did the price match guarantee and made it super easy to price match. Most of the time now the prices automatically match Amazon without even asking, but even if you need to match it’s easy. I’m impatient so most of the time if I want a new gadget I’ll just get it from Best Buy vs waiting for shipping. Before that I would showroom stuff at Best Buy before just ordering it cheaper at Amazon. |
100%. It also really helped that the internet exclusive type stores are pretty much selling most products back at MSRP. It was almost universal that Amazon/Newegg was cheaper than Best Buy back in the day. That all stopped in the late 2000s and early 2010s.
Basically Microcenter stepped into that void Fry's is leaving. They're limited in locations much like Fry's but Microcenter is now THE local retailer for computer products..
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lakersken80
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| Posted: Wed Feb 24, 2021 4:18 pm Post subject: |
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| jonnybravo wrote: | | trmiv wrote: | | lakersken80 wrote: | | jonnybravo wrote: | | I'm really shocked they hung on as long as they did. Even 10 years ago, you could see the writing on the wall. They simply could not pivot to an online model. Hell even Best Buy is managing to thrive. |
I think it was around 2013 when the started turning things around at Best Buy.They did remodel of the stores, updated their stores to leverage internet sales, and started carrying more variety of products. |
They also did the price match guarantee and made it super easy to price match. Most of the time now the prices automatically match Amazon without even asking, but even if you need to match it’s easy. I’m impatient so most of the time if I want a new gadget I’ll just get it from Best Buy vs waiting for shipping. Before that I would showroom stuff at Best Buy before just ordering it cheaper at Amazon. |
100%. It also really helped that the internet exclusive type stores are pretty much selling most products back at MSRP. It was almost universal that Amazon/Newegg was cheaper than Best Buy back in the day. That all stopped in the late 2000s and early 2010s.
Basically Microcenter stepped into that void Fry's is leaving. They're limited in locations much like Fry's but Microcenter is now THE local retailer for computer products.. |
Theres Newegg will call if you live next to a warehouse, but yeah, Microcenter is basically the sole survivor. Best Buy expanded their computer part selection as well. And considering there is usually only 1 Microcenter within most metro areas and the store footprint isn't huge like Frys so they don't have to pay expensive business rent, I'm sure they are making decent profits on hardware now. |
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jonnybravo
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Joined: 21 Sep 2007
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| Posted: Wed Feb 24, 2021 4:29 pm Post subject: |
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| lakersken80 wrote: | | jonnybravo wrote: | | trmiv wrote: | | lakersken80 wrote: | | jonnybravo wrote: | | I'm really shocked they hung on as long as they did. Even 10 years ago, you could see the writing on the wall. They simply could not pivot to an online model. Hell even Best Buy is managing to thrive. |
I think it was around 2013 when the started turning things around at Best Buy.They did remodel of the stores, updated their stores to leverage internet sales, and started carrying more variety of products. |
They also did the price match guarantee and made it super easy to price match. Most of the time now the prices automatically match Amazon without even asking, but even if you need to match it’s easy. I’m impatient so most of the time if I want a new gadget I’ll just get it from Best Buy vs waiting for shipping. Before that I would showroom stuff at Best Buy before just ordering it cheaper at Amazon. |
100%. It also really helped that the internet exclusive type stores are pretty much selling most products back at MSRP. It was almost universal that Amazon/Newegg was cheaper than Best Buy back in the day. That all stopped in the late 2000s and early 2010s.
Basically Microcenter stepped into that void Fry's is leaving. They're limited in locations much like Fry's but Microcenter is now THE local retailer for computer products.. |
Theres Newegg will call if you live next to a warehouse, but yeah, Microcenter is basically the sole survivor. Best Buy expanded their computer part selection as well. And considering there is usually only 1 Microcenter within most metro areas and the store footprint isn't huge like Frys so they don't have to pay expensive business rent, I'm sure they are making decent profits on hardware now. |
I used to do Newegg will call. Always a slow, laborious process. Newegg is still doing well, they're just no longer the first place I check like I used to.
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LakerLanny
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| Posted: Wed Feb 24, 2021 8:14 pm Post subject: |
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Had my car stereo that could play MP3s (unheard of at the time) installed at Fry's.
It did take them 3 tries to get it right, but the ride was sound equipped at a high level after that.
Loved the Fry's SuperStore, even the weird old one in Manhattan Beach. RIP.
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